Whoops, waves, tears: Faithful react to Pope Leo's first Sunday blessing in St. Peter's Square

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Tens of thousands of faithful Catholics gathered in St. Peter's Square to watch Pope Leo XIV deliver the first Sunday blessing of his pontificate exactly at noon.

They unfurled flags from around the world, waved back as the first U.S. pope waved from the loggia, and whooped, hugged and wiped away tears as he shared a greeting for Mother's Day.

The crowd started pouring into the Vatican hours before the marching bands arrived and the pope walked through the dark red drapes of the balcony in the middle of the facade of St. Peter's Basilica to deliver his prayer.

Here are some of their reactions.

U.S. college student Wesley Buonerba was supposed to fly home for Mother's Day after spending the year studying in Rome. But he changed his plans to be in the square for the papal blessing — and let out a loud whoop when Leo said, in Italian, “Happy holiday to all moms!”

“I can't help being joyful and feeling very blessed,” he said. His curly hair held back by a Stars and Stripes bandanna, the architecture major sketched a watercolor of the pope while thousands around him held high their smartphones.

Three Peruvian nuns wore red roses on their brown habits for Mother’s Day, and unfurled a big red-and-white flag.

“Today also we’re invited to pray incessantly for the service that the pope brings to the whole of humanity,” said Alicia Tasayco, superior general of the Canonesas de la Cruz religious order in Lima, whose name means Canonesses of the Cross. She was visiting two of her nuns in Rome when Leo, who served for decades in Peru, was elected.

Tasayco added that having seen then-Bishop Robert Prevost “always concerned about the neediest,” she felt his papacy would continue in that line, including helping women to have a bigger voice in the church.

Sister Rosalba Hernández, from Guadalajara, Mexico, waved a Mexican flag for “the pope of the whole world.” She said Leo's experience with religious orders — he is an Augustinian — should help him continue to give women religious more of a voice in the church.

“He knows and understands our life,” she said.

Valentina Román Calle, aged 5, in the red and white shirt of the Peruvian national soccer team, sat on her father's shoulders. The family have lived in Italy for four years and came to the square to get Leo's blessing because Valentina's older sister, 10, needs to undergo an operation.

“The pope will do much for us,” the girls' mother, Elizabeth Calle, said. “We feel like we can really identify.”

Other migrants in the square also said they felt that Leo understands their plight and will advocate for them, as Pope Francis also did.

The faithful cheered as Leo called for an end to war and urged young people not to be afraid, echoing one of the trademark speeches by St. John Paul II.

“We ask too much of him,” Peruvian tourist Kathy Fernández said jokingly. She said she had been praying that Leo would protect her family, inspire her 6-year-old son to grow in the Catholic faith, help people find work so they can live honestly, and promote world peace.

As he walked through the 17th-century semicircular colonnade that appears to embrace St Peter's square — and that Leo referenced in his first speech Thursday — the Rev. Michael Masteller of Los Angeles said he was still processing all the emotions of watching the first Sunday blessing.

But most of all, the Catholic priest said he felt peaceful because of Leo's own quiet leadership.

“He has this calmness,” Masteller said. “I’ve been feeling that, and that gives me confidence.”

Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

Marine Le Pen stands in the crowd at St. Peter's Square at the Vatican where newly elected Pope Leo XIV delivered his first Sunday blessing from the central balcony of St. Peter's Basilica Sunday, May 11, 2025. (Cecilia Fabiano/LaPresse via AP)

Faithful from Chiclayo, Peru, wave flags and react as Pope Leo XIV appears at the central balcony of St. Peter's Basilica for his first Sunday blessing after his election, in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Sunday, May 11, 2025.(AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)

Notre Dame's architecture college student Wesley Buonerba, wearing a us flag bandanna, does a watercolor sketch of the loggia of St. Peter's Basilica during Pope Leo XIV first Sunday blessing of faithful gathered in the square for the traditional blessing, Sunday, May 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Giovanna Dell'Orto)

Pope Leo XIV speaks from the central balcony of St. Peter's Basilica from where he delivered his first Sunday blessing since his election to the faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square for the traditional Regina Caeli prayer at noon, on Sunday, May 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Domenico Stinellis)

Faithful wave flags from the United States as they wait for Pope Leo XIV to appear at the central balcony of St. Peter's Basilica for his first Sunday blessing after his election, in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Sunday, May 11, 2025.(AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

Veteran Australia batter Usman Khawaja has announced he will retire from international cricket after the fifth Ashes test beginning Sunday at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

He didn't go quietly.

The Pakistan-born Khawaja, who was the first Muslim to play for Australia, used his retirement announcement Friday to criticize the “racial" stereotyping he experienced during his career.

It will be the 39-year-old Khawaja's 88th and final test — played at the ground where he began his first-class career. Khawaja scored his first Ashes century at the SCG with 171 against England in 2018.

It was also at that the SCG where he revived his career at age 35, scoring two centuries against England. That prompted one of the great late-career revivals, as Khawaja hit seven centuries in his next two years back in the side.

But Khawaja’s position had come under scrutiny and criticism this season after being unable to open in the first Ashes test in Perth due to back spasms and then missing the Brisbane test with the injury.

He was then initially left out in Adelaide until Steve Smith’s vertigo allowed Khawaja to return, before an 82 in the first innings there ensured he would stay in the side for the fourth test in Melbourne. Australia, with a 3-1 lead going into the fifth test, has retained the Ashes.

Khawaja said he felt he was treated “a little bit different, even to now,” because of his Pakistan and Muslim background.

"Different in the way I’ve been treated, different in how things have happened,” he said at a media conference in Sydney. “I had back spasms, it was something I couldn’t control. The way the media and the past players came out and attacked me . . . I copped it for about five days straight. Everyone was piling in.

“Once the racial stereotypes came in, of me being lazy, it was things I’ve dealt with my whole life. Pakistani, West Indian, colored players...we’re selfish, we only care about ourselves, we don’t care about the team, we don’t train hard enough."

Khawaja said he knew the end of his career was imminent.

“I guess moving into this series, I had an inkling this would be the last series," he said. "I’m glad I can go out on my own terms.”

Khawaja has scored 6,206 runs at an average of 43.49 in his 87 tests with 16 centuries and 28 half-centuries.

“Usman has made a huge contribution to Australian cricket both through his outstanding achievements as one of our most stylish and resilient batters . . . and off field, particularly through the Usman Khawaja Foundation,” Cricket Australia chief executive Todd Greenberg said in a statement.

“Usman has been one of Australia’s most reliable opening batters and testament to his success was him being named ICC test cricketer of the year the same season that Australia won the World Test Championship (in 2023).”

Khawaja said his No. 1 emotion on announcing his retirement was “contentment.”

“I’m very lucky to have played so many games for Australia the way I have,” Khawaja said. "I hope I have inspired people along the way.”

AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket

Australian cricketer Usman Khawaja with his wife Rachel and daughters Aisha and Ayla after announcing that he will retire from international cricket following the fifth and final Ashes cricket test between England and Australia in Sydney, Australia, Friday, Jan. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)

Australia Usman Khawaja, centre, sits with teammates after announcing he will retire from international cricket following the fifth and final Ashes cricket test between England and Australia in Sydney, Australia, Friday, Jan. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)

Australia Usman Khawaja warms up during a practice session ahead of the fifth and final Ashes cricket test between England and Australia in Sydney, Australia, Friday, Jan. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)

Australia's Travis Head, right, is congratulated by teammate Usman Khawaja after reaching 50 runs during play on day three of the third Ashes cricket test between England and Australia in Adelaide, Australia, Friday, Dec. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/James Elsby)

Australia's Usman Khawaja sign autograph to fans after they won the third Ashes cricket test match against England in Adelaide, Australia, Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025 (AP Photo/James Elsby)